A poll from Quinnipiac University released Thursday finds former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the easy favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 ahead of her Republican rivals in Florida, the largest swing state on the electoral map. The Q-poll shows Clinton besting her possible Republican opponents, including two big names from the Sunshine State.

"Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may be taking some criticism recently in the news media and among some liberal Democratic precincts, but nothing has changed among average voters in Florida where she remains queen of the political prom," said Peter Brown, the assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, on Thursday.

Former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Fla., does best against Clinton in the poll but he comes up short, losing 49 percent to 42 percent. The poll shows no other Republican keeps within single digits of Clinton. The Democrat takes a majority of voters -- 53 percent -- against U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who garners 39 percent. Clinton does slightly better against U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., beating him 53 percent to 37 percent. Matched against Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., Clinton routs the Republicans, 54 percent to 33 percent. U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., keeps it a little closer but Clinton still leads 51 percent to 38 percent.

"Secretary Clinton leads the Republicans against whom she is matched by double digits with the exception of former Gov. Bush who trails her by 7 points," Brown said. "Inside the Beltway they may be talking about Mrs. Clinton's potential weaknesses should she run in 2016. But at this point in Florida, the nation's largest presidential swing state, her assets overwhelm any vulnerabilities."

The poll shows almost all of the leading candidates remain above water in the Sunshine State. A majority -- 58 percent -- of Florida voters see Clinton in a favorable light but 38 percent see her as unfavorable. Bush is seen as favorable by 48 percent while 37 percent view him as unfavorable. Rubio garners 43 percent viewing him as favorable while 35 percent see him as unfavorable. Florida voters are less sure of Paul and Ryan. Paul is seen as favorable by 32 percent and unfavorable by 28 percent. A third of those surveyed -- 33 percent -- see Ryan as favorable while 30 percent view him as unfavorable. Christie is upside down in Florida by the skin of his teeth with 35 percent seeing him as favorable but 36 percent see him as unfavorable.

Turning to the primaries, Clinton has a commanding lead over her fellow Democrats. "Two-thirds of Democrats say she is their candidate for 2016 and none of the others even makes it into double digits,” Brown said of Clinton.

Things are not so clear cut on the Republican side but two candidates from the Sunshine State lead the field.

“Sunshine Staters are on top when Florida Republicans are asked their top 2016 choice, but former Gov. Jeb Bush slips a little and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio just about caught up with him,” Brown said.

Bush leads with 21 percent followed by Rubio in second with 18 percent. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, takes third with 10 percent followed by Paul with 8 percent. Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., follows with 7 percent while Christie takes 6 percent. Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas, garners 5 percent. Two candidates from Wisconsin -- Gov. Scott Walker and Ryan -- take 2 percent each while three candidates -- Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio, and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., take 1 percent each.

This marks a bit of a shift from a Quinnipiac poll released in May which had Bush out front with 27 percent, Paul in second with 14 percent and Rubio in third with 11 percent.

The poll of 1,251 registered Florida voters was taken from July 17-21 and had a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percent. The sample of 457 Florida Democrats was taken during the same period and had a margin of error of +/- 4.6 percent. The sample of 451 Florida Republicans was taken during the same period and had a margin of error of +/- 4.6 percent.

Comments (15)

FrontlineFighter

5:45PM JUL 25TH 2014

polls and statistics can be terribly misleading. the results can almost be predetermined by sample population, sample size, the way questions are phrased, etc.
if a poll was taken on Eric Cantor's chances of retaining his seat, i'm sure it would've shown him to be a hands-down winner.
lesson- don't be swayed by polls.

Maybe the Florida GOP should take another poll. I'm in central Florida and everyone I talk to doesn't want anything to do with JEB. Especially with his support of Common Core. And as far as Marco goes, sorry most of us just don't trust your word, since you broke a major promise regarding immigration.

For those of you squawking about Bill C, look at what happens to this country! Hillary will have him for advice, and this country ran pretty well with him at the helm. His personal issues are his to worry about and not me, or anyone else. He'll do down as one of the better Presidents this country has seen.

I am so tired of the Republicans claiming how great they are, but they continue to screw things up, nationally and here in Florida! I'm a Republican and I'm embarrassed to say it is time for some changes! I only wish the Dems had someone other than Crist.

Go back and follow the Bush's beginning with George Bush (12 June 1796, Norwich, Vermont – 19 September 1859, Rochester, New York) was an American biblical scholar, pastor, abolitionist, academic and advocate for the restoration of the Jews to the Holy Land. He is distantly related to the Bush political family. They Like to say distantly related but the truth is and the evidence proves they are closely supportive of the Muslim religion with their Saudi Ties and GHW Bush and his Texaco Oil connections to Saddam Hussein. What about George W. Bush's Oil Company connections to Salem Bin Laden one of the brother's of Osama Bin Laden the man GW labeled as the man responsible for 9/11 ?

After the George Bush book, then comes Samuel Bush who was instrumental in furnishing weapons for WW! - then his son Prescott Bush financed Adolph Hitler's rise to power in 1939 and after the US was at war with Germany according to our own congressional records. Prescott Bush lost the 1950 CT Senator race because of his push for Planned Parenthood to go nationwide and next he won a special election after the death of the CT Senator. the Bush CIA invented Obama and the control both the Repukes and the Democraps. Karl Rove[r] their Nazi Chief is on FAUX News right now telling the American people what they want us to think.

1 Biography
2 Published works
3 References
4 External links
Biography[edit]
Bush graduated from Dartmouth College in 1818, and then studied theology at Princeton University, where he was a tutor 1823-1824. He was ordained in the Presbyterian ministry, spent four years as a Christian missionary in Indiana, and in 1831 became professor of Hebrew and oriental literature at New York University.[2]

His first book The Life of Mohammed was the first American written biography of the religious leader. It refers to Muhammad as "this remarkable man" and “irresistibly attractive", but is largely negative toward him. It also takes a dim view of the state of Christianity of Muhammad's age. The book fell out of print, but became briefly controversial in Egypt in 2004.[3]

They have a chance if Jeb's people he has systematically put in place all over this state use the Clint Curtis voter fixer chips on the optical scanners.

They used them in Florida and Ohio in 2012 when all the polls had Mitt Romney winning over Obama. That's how Obama got 141% of the votes cast in St. Lucie County Florida. the chips don't know haw many registered voters in each county, they just set them for a winner and winner takes all plus a few extra if that's what it takes to have the chosen one win.

This is total bullcrap Kevin; but coming from you, that's no surprise. Quinnipiac polls c1200 registered voters?!? (I could fit that many in my own backyard). Let us know how your math has improved (if it ever does) in early 2016. [Someone at Sunshine State News check Kevin's salary schedule please...it would seem he is being overpaid. Or maybe Hillary is subsidizing him to "mix the 'kool-ade' up for Floridians..]

Hillary Clinton heads out for a flop book signing tour and Husband Bill has one or two of his lady friends given the F.B.I. nod to enter the Clinton home. You think that will change if Bills' back in the White House. Hillary is aging and another full blown expensive campaigning will take it's toll on the ole cow. Hillary is in the cat's bird seat like Donald Trump and both sit on top of the World. Why would she want to give up the grand treatment she receives now compared to the hate and headaches she would face 2 1/2 years from now and that's only from the start of the next 4 years, she will be 73 then and her looks will be more like 86. Then there's questions about her health. After 8 years of President Obama, does the U.S. really need to go through a sick cow running the country. Funny how the polls are adding the figures when Hillary hasn't even decided if she wants to run all over the country campaigning or enjoy her grandchild at home.

I think it is far too soon to be coming out with this headline. Hillary is a dud, and that will be more evident as time will show. If there was ONE GOP front runner I would perhaps give this some credence. Come up with a couple more possible Dems to put her against and then we can pay attention.

The RPOF is owned lock, stock and barrel by the Bush dynasty. Hillary is Jeb's step-brother's wife [according to old New World Order himself George Herbert Walker Bush]

So what does this say for the Republican's on the ground who are fighting Jeb Bush's Common Core Nazi training for America's youth? And what does this day for the Republicans on the ground who don't like Marco Rubio's immigration "deform?"

It says to us that someone very powerful is controlling the Republican Party of Florida, especially when we have Mel Sembler funding a secret boys home in Pasco County Florida that is taking border boys in and keeping it secret under the instructions of the Obama administration.

Sounds like one big happy family to me, ignoring both sides of their fake political dynasties and doing just what their master plans call for.

How in the heqq could anyone in their right mind ever vote for another Bush when we see the thousands of their oil war victims on the streets not to mention the almost 5000 they killed for their Iraq oil war? But as long as Mel Sembler keeps running the pedophile farms, ranches and facilities and keeps supplying these perverts with a fresh supply of little boys they'll just keep on destroying the world and the USA!